Disposable absorbent articles which have a conforming, underwear-like fit are more desirable for moms and babies because it allows them to aspire to a time when the baby will be potty trained and no longer in diapers. Thus, an absorbent product that can deliver an underwear-like perception is more desirable than one that does not. A common feature among underwear is a continuous stretchable waistband along the top of the product, which allows the top of the underwear to resist rolling, flipping and/or scrunching during wear. Said another way, the continuous stretchable waistband promotes continuous contact between the top of the underwear and the wearer's body. This promotion of continuous contact may be achieved because the waistband is configured to have continuous tension at the top edge of the underwear. Accordingly, the continuous stretchable waistband makes it energetically unfavorable for any particular portion of the waistband to move away from the surface of the body (e.g., roll, flip and/or scrunch). In addition, if any portion of continuous stretchable waistband does move away from the surface of the body, the continuous stretchable waistband also makes it energetically favorable for the waistband to return to its original position in contact with the wearer's body.
Many disposable absorbent articles are configured in an open form (e.g., taped diapers) so they can be fastened around a wearer's torso and adjusted accordingly. This structure may allow for easy application and removal of the absorbent articles, may be less expensive to manufacture versus pant type absorbent articles, and allows the products to fit a wider range of wearers with different body shapes and sizes. Despite being an open form product, it is still desirable for the product to be perceived like underwear for the reasons stated above. Open form absorbent articles, however, do not have a continuous stretchable waistband which encircles the waist of the wearer. Thus, when stretchable materials are employed on an open form disposable absorbent article in a waist region (e.g., a front waist feature such as a front waistband), such materials often do not maintain continuous contact with the wearer's body and roll, flip and/or scrunch during wear. As an example, this phenomenon can often be seen when a taped diaper being worn by a baby has the top front region above the tape fasteners flipped over and not in contact with the baby's stomach.
Prior solutions to rolling, flipping and/or scrunching of the front waist region of an open form disposable absorbent article have included additional fastening elements to secure the loose ends of the front of the product. Fastening elements, however, increase cost and risk irritating the wearer's skin. Further, when used with stretch elements or a non-stretchable waist region, additional fastening elements can create a fit which limits the stretch and is tight and uncomfortable for a wearer. Other proposed solutions have included regions of high stiffness to provide additional support to the waist region of the product. The high stiffness in the waist region resists the bending or buckling force exerted by the wearer. However, the high stiffness also results in a front waist region which does not conform to the body of the wearer as the body continuously changes shape during use due to a wearer's posture, breathing, food intake, etc., and therefore is uncomfortable for the wearer.
It is thus desirable to have a front waist region with a stretchable front waist feature (e.g., a front waistband) in an open form disposable absorbent article which is inexpensive to manufacture, wherein the front waist region is flexible and comfortable to wear, promotes continuous contact with the wearer's body, resists rolling, flipping or scrunching, and if the front waist region does roll, flip or scrunch, has a tendency to return to its original position in contact with the wearer's body.